Writers’ strike and its current impact on the local film industry

NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — With the writers’ strike underway, the effects have been felt here locally months before it actually began. Kirk Englebright, CEO and President of Dark Horse Studios gave us some insight on the impact locally.

Englebright explained that writers are looking to get paid residuals off of film and tv shows on streaming platforms. Without writers, the slowdown in production was imminent and Englebright says he and others in the area have already been feeling some of the effects.

“Well, I can defiantly tell you it’s affected us over the past six months, we’ve defiantly seen a slowdown. Slow across the whole country for that matter. I think from what I understand right now we’re running on about 15 % instead of a general 100 % for film. So, everyone’s feeling it, it’s a slowdown for all of us,” said Englebright.

Englebright says he hopes the strike will end sometimes soon so productions can pick up again in the Cape Fear region. When that happens, Englebright hopes to see the industry start booming, similar to how things picked up after the Covid-19 pandemic.